Government will review Major Mahama Bill – Nitiwul

The Minister of Defence, Dominic Nitiwul has revealed that a memo is being put together to be presented to President Nana Akufo-Addo who is also the Commander-in-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces to review the Major Maxwell Mahama Bill.

The Bill which was passed by Parliament November 8, seeks to give the legal backing for the establishment of a fund to cater for the wife and two children of the Late Major Maxwell Mahama.

The late Major who was on national assignment was killed under bizarre circumstances at Denkyira-Obuasi in the Central region after he was mistaken for a thief.

Several notable individuals including Prominent Ghanaian lawyer based in the USA, Professor Stephen Kweku Asare, Former Attorney General, Martin Amidu, former Deputy Director of the Public Affairs Department of the Ghana Police Service DSP Freeman Tettey and veteran Journalist, Kwesi Pratt Jnr have all slammed the Bill describing it as discriminatory.

They’ve also urged the president to think long before appending his signature to the Bill saying it will set a bad precedent if he should do so.

There’s been a strong argument for the Bill to encompass all those who paid the ultimate price in protecting the country and not for just one person as the Bill has been fashioned now.

Speaking when the Ministry of Defence took its turn at the Meet-the Press series, on Thursday Hon. Nitiwul noted that the suggestion that the Bill be expanded to cover other fallen service men who died in the line of duty is most welcomed.

“This suggestion is worth considering, and we’re putting a memo together to have a discussion with the Commander in Chief who’s the President so that we can take a relook at it. But let me tell you that the Armed Forces regulations, make provision very explicitly for people who get maimed, people who die or get incapacitated, or suffer some any form of injury, there are compensation for everyone of them. So it’s not as if there’s nothing. But it looks like the people of Ghana want a specific law so that we can amend the Armed Forces regulations and set up a specific law for those category of persons who die. I think it’s worthwhile considering and we’ll do that and bring it. Only what I’ll tell you is that we the people must fund it."

He added, "If every November, we all decide to give 0.05% of our salaries which is the Veterans month for that fund I’ll be very happy and I’m saying let’s champion that course, 0/05% of our salaries.”